1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an aqueous electrolysis cell for generation of gas, wherein the cell is adapted to be easily attached to or detached from a facility which collects and uses the gas. In particular, the invention relates to an aqueous electrolysis cell which is assured both of sufficient anticorrosion characteristic and sufficient sealing characteristic against both of ozone gas and ozone aqueous solution, because ozone gas is generated in the cell .
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrolysis cells which generate ozone gas by electrolysis reaction of water are known. For instance, these known types of cells have a cathode chamber and an anode chamber which is separate from the cathode chamber by a cation-exchanger membrane made of, for example, solid electrolyte polymer. Hydrogen gas is generated in the cathode chamber. Mixed gas of ozone and oxygen is generated in the anode chamber. In many cases, the electrodes in the cells are replaced at an interval of about one or two years, particularly if the cells are used to provide ozone gas to a facility which utilizes ozone gas. Typically, the facility has a container for separation of gas from liquid. The container communicates with the anode chamber directly or via an additional line. Such a container, hereinafter referred to as a "anode trap", collects the ozone gas. The collected ozone gas is provided to the places to use it.
However, most of the structures of those conventional cells have a shortage in that most people have difficulty in disassembling them into, for example, the anode chamber, the cathode chamber, the electrodes, and so on. If such a conventional cell has been attached to and used with an anode trap with a proper period of time, and when the replacement of the electrodes are required, people in the maintenance work had to remove so many parts in order to aquire their working clearances. After the replacement of the electrodes, then those many parts must be put back to the places where they were. As a result, the overall maintenance work has been very complicated.
Recently, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. Hei 10-25586 teaches a structure assembly of an aqueous electrolysis cell which can generate ozone gas, oxygen gas and hydrogen gas. The structure is made of components which can be disassembled. However, in this type of structure, in order to dismount the damaged electrodes, most of the structure's clamping bolts which have maintained the structure should be loosen or disengaged, wherein many parts around the electrodes come apart totally. Therefore, in order to assemble the parts again, many positioning works have to be done again. It is a very large burden in the maintenance work. Further, modifying this type of cell, if it were made to replace not the electrodes only but the overall structure of the cell, not only the high cost on spare parts due to the larger replacement portion but also labors to disconnect or dismount the cell from the utilities and facilities become the problem, although labors to disassemble the cell itself are omitted. Still further, due to the structure taught therein, orientation of external lines which are connected to the cell is greatly limited. Further, the cell should be located in a limited attitude in order to operate it properly. Further, many advanced skills and know-how would be required to carry out these works, which leads to high cost and high degree of difficulty in maintenance.